METHOD OF TRANSFERRING MICRO-DEVICE
A method of transferring micro-devices is provided. A carrying unit including a carrying substrate, a plurality of electrodes, a dielectric layer covering the electrodes, and a plurality of micro-devices disposed on the electrodes, including a first micro-device and a second micro-device, are also provided. A voltage is applied to an electrode corresponding to the first micro-device, so that an electrostatic force generated on the first micro-device by the carrying unit is larger than a force generated on the second micro-device by the carrying unit. A transfer stamp contacts the first micro-device and the second micro-device, and moves when the transfer stamp contacts the first micro-device and the second micro-device and the electrostatic force is greater than the force generated by the carrying unit, so that the second micro-device is picked up by the transfer stamp and transferred to a receiving unit, and the first micro-device remains on the carrying unit.
Technical Field
The present invention is related to a transferring method, and in particular, to a method of transferring a micro-device.
Related Art
Micro-device transfer technologies have been used in a process for manufacturing newly-developing electronic devices. By using the manufacture of an optical touch sensing panel as an example, in which the process comprises: a plurality of micro-light emitting diodes is transferred from a growth substrate to a touch substrate, and a plurality of photosensitive structures is then manufactured on the touch substrate that carries the micro-light emitting diodes, so that an ultrathin optical touch sensing panel is finished.
Generally, to improve the usage efficiency of a growth substrate, micro-light emitting diodes may be arranged on the growth substrate in a relatively high density. An arrangement density of micro-light emitting diodes on a growth substrate may usually exceed an arrangement density of micro-light emitting diodes on an optical touch sensing panel. Therefore, in the existing prior art, a transfer stamp having a plurality of lug protrusions needs to be provided, and the manner of arranging the plurality of lug protrusions is the same as the manner of arranging the micro-light emitting diodes on the touch substrate. Then, some micro-light emitting diodes on the growth substrate are adhered by the plurality of lug protrusions on the transfer stamp, so that a needed micro-light emitting diode is picked up from an array of light-emitting diodes on the growth substrate, and a micro-light emitting diode that is not needed remains. However, the plurality of lug protrusions on the transfer stamp needs to be aligned with a plurality of micro-light emitting diodes to be picked up when the micro-light emitting diodes to be picked up on the growth substrate are adhered by the plurality of lug protrusions, so that a correct micro-light emitting diode can be picked up from an array of micro-light emitting diodes. This aligning action takes effort and time, and presents a challenge in improving the speed and efficiency of transferring a micro-device.
SUMMARYThe present invention provides a method of transferring a micro-device, wherein the method has a rapid transferring speed.
The method of transferring a micro-device of the present invention includes the following steps: providing a carrying unit, wherein the carrying unit includes a carrying substrate, a plurality of electrodes configured on the carrying substrate, and a dielectric layer covering the electrodes; providing a plurality of micro-devices, wherein the micro-devices are configured on the dielectric layer of the carrying unit, wherein each of the micro-devices is disposed correspondingly to one of the electrodes, and the micro-devices include a first micro-device and a second micro-device; applying a voltage to an electrode corresponding to the first micro-device, so that an electrostatic force F1 generated on the first micro-device by the carrying unit is larger than an electrostatic force F2 generated on the second micro-device by the carrying unit; providing a transfer stamp having a transfer plane; contacting the transfer plane of the transfer stamp with the first micro-device and the second micro-device, wherein an area of the transfer plane exceeds a distribution range of the micro-devices when the transfer plane is in contact with the first micro-device and the second micro-device; moving the transfer stamp when the transfer stamp is in contact with the first micro-device and the second micro-device and F1>F2, so that the second micro-device is picked up by the transfer stamp and the first micro-device remains on the carrying unit; and transferring the second micro-device to a receiving unit by the transfer stamp.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the step of moving the transfer stamp in a condition in which the transfer stamp is in contact with the first micro-device and the second micro-device and F1>F2 is: moving the transfer stamp in a direction away from the carrying unit in a condition in which the transfer stamp is in contact with the first micro-device and the second micro-device and F1>F2, so that the transfer stamp applies a force F3 on the first micro-device and the second micro-device, wherein F2<F3<F1, and the direction of the electrostatic force F1 and the direction of the electrostatic force F2 are opposite to the direction of the force F3.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the receiving unit includes a receiving substrate and a receiving layer configured on the receiving substrate, and the step of transferring the second micro-device to a receiving unit by the transfer stamp includes: carrying, by the transfer stamp, the second micro-device to the receiving layer, so as to engage the second micro-device with the receiving layer; and moving the transfer stamp in a direction away from the receiving unit after the second micro-device is engaged with the receiving layer, so that the transfer stamp is separated from the second micro-device.
In an embodiment of the present invention, a joint force between the second micro-device and the receiving layer is F4. The transfer stamp applies a force F5 on the second micro-device when the transfer stamp is moved in the direction away from the receiving unit. F4>F5, and the direction of the joint force F4 is opposite to the direction of the force F5.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the receiving layer is a photoresist layer, and the step of engaging the second micro-device with the receiving layer includes: contacting the second micro-device with the photoresist layer before the photoresist layer is cured; and curing the photoresist layer in a condition in which the second micro-device is in contact with the photoresist layer.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the receiving layer is a first metal layer, the second micro-device is provided with a second metal layer, and the step of engaging the second micro-device with the receiving layer includes: heating the receiving unit, so that the first metal layer on the receiving unit presents a liquid state; contacting the second metal layer on the second micro-device with the liquid first metal layer; and reducing the temperature of the first metal layer in a condition in which the second metal layer on the second micro-device is in contact with the liquid first metal layer, so that the first metal layer and the second metal layer form an alloy.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the transfer stamp is made of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS).
In an embodiment of the present invention, the micro-device is a micro-light emitting diode.
According to the above, in the method for transferring a micro-device of the present invention, by using a technical means of applying a voltage to an electrode corresponding to a first micro-device, so that an electrostatic force F1 generated on the first micro-device by a carrying unit is larger than an electrostatic force F2 generated on a second micro-device by the carrying unit, a transfer plane of a transfer stamp can be in contact with all micro-devices simultaneously, so that the needed second micro-device is picked up and the first micro-device that is not needed is not picked up by mistake. That is, unlike the existing prior art, a correct micro-device can be picked up without aligning a plurality of lug protrusions of a transfer stamp with a plurality of micro-devices to be picked up. Therefore, the method of transferring a micro-device according to an embodiment of the present invention can reduce at least one aligning step, so that the speed of transferring a micro-device is increased.
To make the foregoing features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and easier to understand, details are described in below with embodiments in combination with accompanying drawings.
It should be noted that the sequence of the foregoing step S100 to step S700 is not limited to sequentially performing S100, S200, S300, S400, S500, S600, and S700. Suitable changes may also be made to the sequence of step S100 to step S700. For example, step S100, S200, S400, S300, S500, S600, S700 may be performed sequentially; step S100, S200, S400, S500, S300, S600, and S700 may be performed sequentially; step S400, S100, S200, S300, S500, S600, and S700 may be performed sequentially; or step S400, S100, S200, S500, S300, S600, and S700 may be performed sequentially. The method of transferring a micro-device according to an embodiment of the present invention is specifically described below in combination with
In this embodiment, the carrying substrate 110 may be, for example, a sapphire base or a silicon base, but the present invention is not limited herein, and in other embodiments, the carrying substrate 110 may also be other types of substrates. The plurality of electrodes 120A and 120B are spaced from each other. The electrodes 120A and 120B may be made of a metal, an alloy, a metal nitride, a metal oxide, a metal nitride oxide, a stacked layer of metal, and another conductive material, or other suitable types of conductors. The dielectric layer 130 may be made of an inorganic material (for example: silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, or a stacked layer of at least two of the materials above), an organic material, or a combination of the above.
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In this case, a part of the dielectric layer 130 directly above the electrode 120A may be polarized, and the other part of the dielectric layer 130 directly above the electrode 120B is not readily polarized. When the part of the dielectric layer 130 above the electrode 120A is polarized, a polarization charge may be generated on a surface of the part of the dielectric layer 130, and the polarization charge may generate the electrostatic force F1 on the electrodes 210 (shown in
Although the present invention is described by using F2 that is close to 0 as an example, the present invention does not define that the electrostatic force F2 generated on the second micro-device 200B by the carrying unit 100 needs to be zero. That is, the present invention does not define that a voltage cannot be applied to the electrode 120B corresponding to the second micro-device 200B, and in other embodiments, optionally, voltages may also be applied to the electrodes 120A and 120B simultaneously, insofar as the voltage applied to the electrode 120B needs to be less than the voltage applied to the electrode 120A, so that the electrostatic force F2 generated on the second micro-device 200B by the carrying unit 100 is less than the electrostatic force F1 generated on the first micro-device 200A by the carrying unit 100.
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When F2<F3, the transfer stamp 300 may pick up the second micro-device 200B; additionally, when F3<F1, the transfer stamp 300 cannot pick up the first micro-device 200A, so that the first micro-device 200A remains on the carrying unit 100. In this embodiment, by setting a suitable range for a moving speed of the transfer stamp 300, the force F3 applied on the micro-devices 200A and 200B by the transfer stamp 300 may be set between the electrostatic force F2 generated on the second micro-device 200B by the carrying unit 100 and the electrostatic force F1 generated on the first micro-device 200A by the carrying unit 100, so that the transfer stamp 300 picks up the second micro-device 200B, does not pick up the first micro-device 200A, and F2<F3<F1.
It should be noted that, as shown in
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In this embodiment, the receiving substrate 410 of the receiving unit 400 is, for example, a glass substrate, and the receiving layer 420 of the receiving unit 400 is, for example, a photoresist layer. As shown in
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In view of the above, in the method of transferring a micro-device in an embodiment of the present invention, by applying a voltage to an electrode corresponding to a micro-device not to be picked up, an electrostatic force generated by a carrying unit on a micro-device not to be picked up can be larger than an electrostatic force generated, by the carrying unit on a micro-device to be picked up. In this case, a transfer plane of a transfer stamp may be moved in a direction away from the carrying unit after being simultaneously in contact with the micro-device to be picked up and the micro-device not to be picked up, so as to pick up a needed micro-device and leave a micro-device that is not needed. That is, unlike the existing prior art, a correct micro-device can be picked up without aligning a plurality of lug protrusions of a transfer stamp with a plurality of micro-devices to be picked up. Therefore, the method of transferring a micro-device according to an embodiment of the present invention can reduce at least one aligning step, so that the speed of transferring a micro-device is increased.
It will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made by a person skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, though the present invention is disclosed by using embodiments above. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention should be subject to the scope defined by the claims of the application below.
Claims
1. A method of transferring a micro-device, comprising:
- providing a carrying unit, wherein said carrying unit comprises a carrying substrate;
- providing a plurality of electrodes configured on said carrying substrate, wherein said plurality of electrodes comprises a first electrode and a second electrode;
- providing a dielectric layer covering said plurality of electrodes;
- providing a plurality of micro-devices, wherein said plurality of micro-devices comprises a first micro-device and a second micro-device, said plurality of micro-devices are configured on said dielectric layer, said first micro-device is disposed corresponding to said first electrode, and said second micro-device is disposed corresponding to said second electrode;
- applying a voltage to said first electrode, wherein an electrostatic force F1 generated on said first micro-device by said carrying unit is larger than an electrostatic force F2 generated on said second micro-device by said carrying unit;
- providing a transfer stamp, comprising a transfer plane;
- contacting said transfer plane with both said first micro-device and said second micro-device;
- moving said transfer stamp away from said plurality of micro-devices, and said second micro-device is picked up by said transfer stamp, said first micro-device remains on said carrying unit, and F1>F2; and
- transferring said second micro-device to a receiving unit by said transfer stamp.
2. The method of transferring a micro-device according to claim 1, wherein the step of moving said transfer stamp, further comprises:
- moving said transfer stamp in a first direction away from said carrying unit in, wherein said transfer stamp applies a force F3 on said first micro-device and said second micro-device, wherein F2<F3<F1, both the electrostatic force F1 and the electrostatic force F2 have a first direction, said force F3 has a second direction, and said first direction is opposite to said second direction.
3. The method of transferring a micro-device according to claim 1, wherein the receiving unit comprises a receiving substrate and a receiving layer configured on the receiving substrate, and the step of transferring the second micro-device to a receiving unit by the transfer stamp comprises:
- carrying said second micro-device to said receiving layer by said transfer stamp, for engaging said second micro-device with said receiving layer; and
- moving said transfer stamp away from said receiving unit after said second micro-device is engaged with said receiving layer, so that said transfer stamp is separated from said second micro-device.
4. The method of transferring a micro-device according to claim 3, wherein a joint force F4 is between said second micro-device and said receiving layer, said transfer stamp applies a force F5 on said second micro-device when said transfer stamp is moved away from said receiving unit, wherein F4>F5.
5. The method of transferring a micro-device according to claim 3, wherein said receiving layer is a photoresist layer, and the step of engaging said second micro-device with said receiving layer comprises:
- contacting said second micro-device with said photoresist layer before said photoresist layer is cured; and
- curing said photoresist layer when said second micro-device is in contact with said photoresist layer.
6. The method of transferring a micro-device according to claim 3, wherein said receiving layer is a first metal layer, said second micro-device is provided with a second metal layer, and the step of engaging said second micro-device with said receiving layer comprises:
- heating said receiving unit to transform said first metal layer on the receiving unit is into a liquid state;
- contacting said second metal layer and said first metal layer; and
- reducing a temperature of said first metal layer for said first metal layer and said second metal layer form an alloy.
7. The method of transferring a micro-device according to claim 1, wherein said transfer stamp is made of a first material, wherein said first material comprises polydimethylsiloxane.
8. The method of transferring a micro-device according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of micro-devices are a plurality of micro-light emitting diodes.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 26, 2016
Publication Date: May 11, 2017
Patent Grant number: 9721823
Inventors: Tsung-Tien WU (HSIN-CHU), Ho-Cheng LEE (HSIN-CHU), Kang-Hung LIU (HSIN-CHU), Chih-Che KUO (HSIN-CHU)
Application Number: 15/248,070